Zermatt: The Ultimate Swiss Experience

Imagine Switzerland in January…

Montreux—the jewel of the Swiss Riviera, where I was staying in the Vaud—was enjoying a very civilized winter: just a mild dusting of powder snow to excite the senses. But I was seriously craving snow. You know the kind: the deep soft stuff that an adventurous stuffed cat could get joyfully lost in.

So, in search of serious snow, breathtaking scenery and a resort atmosphere, I packed up and headed southeast to the alpine village of Zermatt in the Valais. This resort town nestles in the shadow of the majestic Matterhorn in some of the most stunning scenery on this planet and my stuffings were itching to taste its bounty. Probably best known as a centre for skiing and mountaineering, Zermatt’s surroundings are truly breathtaking any season. But the high season—as in scintillating “get a high”—is winter. And I was right in the middle of it. This comes at a price; accommodation in Zermatt is among the most expensive in Switzerland.

View of the Matterhorn from Zermatt

But, if you’re a cool cat like me, there are ways … and there are lots of options. All the inns, hotels and guesthouses in Zermatt are locally owned: these range from cozy guesthouses and hostels to large full service hotels with five star ratings. All, of course, feature the signature Swiss hospitality and excellent service known worldwide.

Depending on your budget, you can visit Zermatt in true style and stay in one of the five-star hotels and get picked up at the train station by a horse and carriage. Some of Zermatt’s luxury hotels include Mont Cervin, Monte Rosa, Hotel Schweizerhof, and Hotel Nicoletta (now Le Petit Cervin), all located near the village center and on or near Bahnhofstrasse, the main street. The Monte Rosa is considered the “grande dame” of Zermatt hotels and is where Edward Whymper stayed when he became the first person to climb the Matterhorn.

You can rent a suite in one of the chalet-style condos, like I did, and be greeted by a friendly local who will not only show you to your cozy avant-garde suite but give you the low-down on the cool things that locals do in Zermatt. If you don’t mind something a little less posh, you can get very reasonable hostel accommodation right in the heart of Zermatt and on the surrounding foothills through Hostel Europe.

Ski hut on the Matterhorn

If you’re a skier or mountaineer, you can also rent a “hut” on the outskirts of town or up the hill toward the Matterhorn. There’s nothing quite like skiing into and out of your place. The Riffelalp is a luxury alpine hotel up the mountain from Zermatt that you can get to via the Gornergrat Railway cog rail. The Kulm and the Romantica are two other chalet-style mountain hotels accessible by cog-wheel railway from Zermatt. Overlooking the Gornergletscher on the Gornergrat, with its two domed towers—one is a working observatory—the Kulm provides a distinctive “summit experience” at 3100 m.

The Trip to Zermatt

Zermatt in the evening

It was a three-hour drive from Montreux along excellent freeways and snow-lined mountain roads. Looking for adventure, I drove my ToulouseMobile past the wine-growing towns of Martigny, Sion and Sierre to Visp, where I turned onto a narrow road that wound its ascent out of the Zermatt/Visp Valley past mountain villages and eventually to Täsche, where I parked my mobile. A major snow dump had just occurred here and I’d been informed that Zermatt might be closed. Fortunately for me, the train up to Zermatt—a car-free village—had just begun again. And I was about to head into a paradise of freshly fallen snow!

Ski run at the foot of the Matterhorn

Zermatt nestles in the foothills of the Matterhorn and surrounding mountain range, among which are the highest of Switzerland (Monte Rosa at 4634 m). To visit or stay in this Matterhorn village, you need to take a train from Brig, Visp, or Täsche. The 7-km shuttle train ride of the Matterhorn Gotthard Railway runs every 20 minutes from Täsche to Zermatt. I parked the ToulouseMobile in the Matterhorn Terminal Täsche, and enjoyed a relaxing 12 minute ride on the shuttle train to the Bahnhofplatz in the heart of Zermatt.

    

Living, Playing & Eating in Zermatt

Alps near the Matterhorn

From the train station it’s at most a twenty minute walk along the snow-packed Bahnhofstrasse, the main pedestrian street that runs the length of the resort town along the banks of the Vispa River, to any accommodation in the town. 

Lined with festive shops, restaurants and cafés, I strolled Bahnhofstrasse, experiencing the best of Switzerland. I checked out the classy souvenir shops (there is hardly anything “tacky” in Switzerland—even its souvenirs), featuring Swiss Army knives, watches, and clothes (I purchased a pair of Swiss cow socks for a friend); gourmet chocolatiers like Laderach and Fuchs; patisseries; shops selling fashionable outerwear, sweaters and ski apparel; and others selling top quality ski and boarding equipment; and, of course, bistros and cafés featuring savory Swiss food from fresh oysters, chocolate fondants, mushroom and ham crepes or exquisite open-face sandwiches and hearty soups to the best filet mignon or truffle ravioli. 

The family run Le Mazot is one of Zermatt’s less expensive and most welcoming small eateries. Located in the village centre near the river, it specializes in lamb fed on pastures under the Matterhorn and grilled on an open wood fire.

Toulouse in Heaven: Petit Royal

My favorite lunch places included the Hörnli Bäckerei-Konditorei and the newly established Le Pont Royal across the street. I just had to return to the Hörnli several times to sample their savory crepes and excellent café crèmes. Es war ausgezeichnet! Wunderbar!

They also feature excellent desserts but the attractive window display of Le Pont Royal drew me in and next thing I knew I was savoring an exquisite marzipan genache almond torte with vanilla custard. Topped off with a gourmet hot chocolate, it made paradise into heaven.

During high season (in winter), Zermatt welcomes nearly 20,000 visitors who live and play amid its 5 or 6 pedestrian streets and lanes and, of course, its spectacular mountains. There are virtually no internal combustion vehicles except the occasional outside delivery and specialist services (most service vehicles run on batteries). This helps against air and noise pollution.

Le Petit Royal Confiserie in Zermatt

As I wandered down Bahnhofstrasse, poking into narrow Medieval-like alleyways that led to adventure, I pondered how I could find myself in utter tranquility within a few steps from the main street bustle. You can sit on a hotel balcony and listen to the songbirds as you watch the sun set on one of the most striking mountains in the western world. 

In Zermatt you can wake up in a four or five-star room or a canvas tent to the sound of birds, church bells, and children's laughter. The name "Zermatt" does, after all mean “to the meadow”; it’s a contraction of the local dialect words "zer", which means "to", and "matta", which means "field" or "meadow".

During the summer, roads and hiking trails take you up to a number of year-round restaurants. In the winter you can ski to them and enjoy a Swiss beer and raclette or roesti. I stopped in several of them on my cable car tour up to the Matterhorn via Furi, Schwartzee and Trockener Steg.  

Intrepid off-piste skiers shared my car into snow heaven then bid me adieu to negotiate the steep back-country slopes of deep powder in search of untracked snow. On my way down just past Furi, I was alerted by the huge litter of skis laid out like match sticks in the snow: a lively après ski crowd was partying at Zum See, celebrating a good day of powder hounding.

The Majesty of the Matterhorn

The ultimate Matterhorn

Straddling the Swiss and Italian border, the Matterhorn attains a height of 4,478 m. Though not Switzerland’s highest mountain (it’s actually Monte Rosa in the same range), its splendid pyramid-shape has earned the Matterhorn a place as one of Switzerland’s most enduring symbols. It was one of the last alpine mountains to be climbed to the top, by British explorers in 1865. That first expedition unfortunately ended with tragedy; only 3 of the 7 climbers survived the descent. They are buried in Zermatt along with others who lost their lives climbing the challenging mountain.

Anyway you look at it, the Matterhorn's majesty is worth beholding any season and any time, from bright sun to the shrouding mists of sunset. The best views can be found in the cozy posh resort town of Zermatt.

Sunset over the Matterhorn 

I'll be back ... with my skis! I'm the COOL Travel Cat, after all!

Christmas Yoga with Toulouse LeTrek

Toulouse LeTrek enjoys Ontario snow...

Well, it's that time of the year again... Time sure flies when you're ... well ... flying--all over the world, that is...

Here is my 8-pose Christmas Yoga Exercise to help you gear up for all that Christmas cheer. It’s just the thing for a body bloated on Christmas pudding, turkey and baking.

Did you know that the word yoga means “union”. Yoga creates harmony by controlling your breath and holding your body in steady poses called “asanas”. Five key elements include proper breathing, proper exercise, proper relaxation, proper diet, and positive thinking and meditation. Yoga should be supervised by a qualified teacher. Don’t worry. That’s me.

Toulouse stretches

So, first off, choose a pleasant, peaceful and spacious setting for your exercises. You might like to turn the lights down and light some candles and put on your favorite Christmas music (so long as it isn’t “I am Santa Claus” by Bob Rivers or “Takin’ Care of Christmas” by Randy Bachman). You can use a mat for extra comfort and give yourself lots of room. Then you need to do some stretching exercises …

Toulouse doing headstand

The purpose of the Headstand is to rest the heart, which usually has to work against gravity and will likely do some extra laps this Christmas with all the cholesterol coursing through you from figgy pudding, turkey stuffing and eggnog. Some people think headstands heal everything. Well, it sure gives you a different perspective on things! And that’s gotta be good for you.

The Dolphin pose strengthens the arms and

Toulouse does the dolphin

shoulders. It kind of prepares you for the headstand. I’m doing a great job, aren’t I? Did you know that this pose calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression? It also improves digestion and relieves headache, insomnia, back pain and fatigue. Lastly, it's therapeutic for high blood pressure. Of course, it's called the dolphin pose because of the sinewy wave-like nature of the pose and the fusiform streamlined dolphin body and movements. 

Dolphins are one of Earth's smartest life forms. They are also known for their pure altruistic behaviour, practicing not just reciprocal kin-related acts, but selfless acts for all life. Methinks these two go together... :-3   

Plow pose

The Plow pose (halasana) increases overall flexibility, but it’s particularly effective for relieving tension in the upper back and shoulders; especially after you’ve been with the relatives for over two days... 

The pose gets its name from the plow, used to prepare the soil for sowing crops. Like the plow, the pose prepares the body and the mind for deep rejuvenation. Besides strengthening and opening the neck, shoulders, abs and back muscles, the plow helps calm the nervous system and reduces stress and fatigue. It stimulates the thyroid gland and strengthens the immune system. 

Toulouse does the Cobra pose

Here's the Cobra, one of my favourite positions. This asana resembles a serpent with its hood raised; hence the name of the pose. The cobra pose does tons of good things like toning and strengthening the superficial and deep muscles of the back and abdominal regions. The pose reduces stress and fatigue and is a useful pose for people with respiratory disorders like asthma (don't practice the pose during an attack, though!). 

The cobra also increases backward bending flexibility--something a cat like me does lots--and it relieves tension, especially in the lower back. Good for after you've been shovelling the driveway...     

Toulouse does the Locust pose

The Locust (Salabhasana) is a backward bending exercise that increases flexibility of the upper back and strengthens the lower back  and upper leg muscles. 

Holding the pose also massages the internal organs and makes them frisky—which you will be too; good for combating the “big meal” doldrums. The pose relieves fatigue, flatulence, constipation, indigestion and lower-back pain.

The locust, or grasshopper, is a springy kind of creature, so the pose is well named for the "springy" energy it provides. 

Toulouse doing the Camel pose

The Camel pose (Ustrasana) I’m doing here…well, I might have gotten carried away… lets you exercise all your back muscles and extends your spinal column by bending your back fully. It’s useful for increasing spinal and hip flexibility. The camel pose helps relieve respiratory ailments, mild backache, fatigue and anxiety. 

Doing this pose also helps improve your posture! Just in time for all those Christmas pictures with family and friends... 

Toulouse does the Spinal Twist

Here I am doing the Spinal Twist, which stretches the spine and helps the vertebrae regain their mobility. The roots of the spinal nerves and the nervous system get toned and provided with increased blood supply.

This pose will make your back feel sensational! It relieves tension and elongates the spine, which also improves posture (for all those pictures!) and improves breathing. Lastly, the spinal twist helps you digest that huge Christmas dinner, dessert and midnight snack by helping ... well ... move things along. It'll have you twisting and shouting with the joy of the season. Meow! :-3

You need a lot of strength, flexibility and concentration to

Toulouse does the Peacock ... well, sort of...

do the Peacock (mayurasana). As you can see, I have a lot of it! When the pose is held, your elbows press into the abdominal region, drawing fresh blood to the area and nourishing your internal organs. If you watched the movie, The Edge of Tomorrow, this is the pose that the Tom Cruise character finds soldier Rita Vrataski (played by Emily Blunt) performing. It's not unlike flying; there you are, balancing on your hands with legs stretched out, head and body lifted, defying gravity. The peacock pose not only resembles the peacock; it also invokes the peacock's special powers.  

Toulouse does the Final Relaxation

Did you know that in Hindu lore, the peacock symbolizes immortality and love?

Last but certainly not least, is the Final Relaxation, my favorite part and I do it well, as you can see… Relaxation is important because it leaves you with a calm mind and relaxed muscles. It allows the body to absorb the energy released by the asanas. You need to relax this way for at least five minutes. I’m so good at it that I do it for … well, hours.

Have a safe, joyous and meaningful “giving season”

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Peace on Earth, good will to all Life.

Getting the Most Out of Your Flight

Who’s seen “Up in the Air” with George Clooney (who makes Nina’s heart go pitter patter)? It’s about a man whose business has him constantly travelling and living his life out of a suitcase in apparent bliss.

All in all, it’s a cynical man’s take on travelling. Sure, it served as a good metaphor for the journey of life, and as such made some good commentary on life-values (though I’m not sure how much Nina got out of the story—she watched the entire film on the plane without any sound. She didn’t care; she got what she wanted…). And lots of what Clooney’s character shared with his apprentice made sense for efficient travel. But, travelling doesn’t have to be so hard-boiled. So mechanically efficient.

And, if you’ve seen the movie and how it ends, this is not the most satisfactory way to travel. When it comes to travel, efficiency shouldn’t take precedence over fun. Remember, fun is always at the root of a favorably memorable trip. I’m the cool travel cat, after all, the wizard of travelling. The master of the journey. So, let me share with you what I’ve learned…

Nina and I travel a lot, whizzing from one side of the country to the other or to exotic places abroad, by plane by car by boat or even on tender foot and paw…We’ve caught flights from the airport at totally uncivilized hours, when nothing—not even the Starbucks—was open. We’ve weathered day-long delays—and not just because of weather. One flight in Tanzania didn’t go until enough people signed up to fully populate the plane! Ok… just kidding, well, sort of. We’ve slept on airport benches using Nina’s carry-on as a foot stool. We’ve gotten lost going from one terminal to another and then back again, when the plane decided to dock at another gate—just for the heck of it (I’m sure they have hidden cameras broadcasting the mad scurry of harried travelers to some planet in the Omega system). We’ve been searched and scanned while the officials laughed (ok, Nina was telling them a joke; she was rejecting rule number one again—never smile or cavort with officials who have power over you. At the age of 50+ she’s still amazingly naïve—maybe that’s why I like her so much… :-3 ).

Ok, I promised you some tips on how to enjoy your travels to the fullest, from airport to airport—what you do after you get to your destination is up to you. Well, actually, I have something to say about that too, but that’s a whole other post.

Getting the most out of your travels is a little like magic. It combines safety and security-smarts with having fun. The magic comes in how you mix these, so you don’t sink into the sweaty doldrums of paranoia on the one hand or get into trouble with security and miss your flight altogether on the other (I have stories about that too, actually—not the end of the world…). Here are some “Toulouse Rules” (well, “Toulouse Guidelines”, then): 

•           Dress comfortably so your body can relax. Leave those two-inch stilettos at home or in your checked baggage. Wear loose clothing and comfortable shoes, in case the unmentionable happens and you find yourself racing down the hallway to catch a tight connection. When your body is relaxed then your mind relaxes too. You’re less likely to get flustered and piss off airport officials this way. There is such a thing as being too relaxed, though. On a flight to Halifax from Dulls Washington, Nina lost track of time over a lively breakfast chat and missed her flight by 2 minutes. The up-side was that she wasn’t penalized and was able to rebook a flight next day, relaxed in a wonderful hotel and had one of the best experiences in what became a leisurely trip.
•       Travel safe and travel smart. Be aware of your stuff. Be smart about keeping your stuff near you, with you and on you at all times. Part of having the freedom of having fun is to make sure you and your stuff are safe. Once they are safe, you can relax and enjoy your surroundings. Part of this is to be organized about where your various important items are housed. Keep your precious things close to you, preferably on you, and your travel documents (like passport, boarding pass) even closer. Have a designated place for each of these and preferably use the same traveling bag. This will establish an inner-safety net for you so that you can be smart, safe and relax at the same time. It’s a little like Tai-Chi: achieving a fine balance of relaxed-tension that lets you focus outward and enjoy the road ahead. :-3
•       Give yourself enough time to check in, get your bags checked and go through security, but also to relax at the airport bar. Now, you might laugh at the last part, but I’m not kidding. Airports are places too and each one has character (usually associated with the place). I enjoy lingering at airports. They serve as true gateways to world travelers and provide wonderful opportunities to meet interesting people in a relaxed setting. Sometimes this is only the bartender or waitress, but they are people too, and locals who can often share some information gems you’d never find in the local travel brochure. Nina really knows how to work a place. She usually parks at the bar, where people are more likely to chat, and brings her “cute” tools: her highly popular notebook computer and ME, both of which are guaranteed to elicit conversation. :-3  So, come early and enjoy the airport. It’s a place too. For instance, Nina has her favorite airports and so do I. Nina really likes O’Hare Airport in Chicago and John F. Kennedy in New York City. She tells me that they scintillate with energy and the bustle of world travelers. I’m partial to the cosmopolitan energy of Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, and the spacious and more relaxed airports of Orlando, FL and Phoenix, Arizona.
•       Pay attention to airport layout and practice. When you do, you soon recognize familiar paradigms and systems that most airports share. This can range from terminal location for airlines to dining places, signage to bathrooms. Knowing your way around an airport—even if you’ve never been there—is not just the mark of a seasoned traveler but the sign of someone who is truly enjoying every aspect of their journey.
•       Enjoy the ride, every part of it. A wise man in India once told me that the key to happiness is simple: “choose to be happy.” Yup. That simple. Choose to enjoy every aspect of the journey, even the “humdrum” part of it; and I mean the security line ups and searches, body scans, delays, gate changes, etc. By adopting this attitude, you tend to relax, focus on the adventure and open yourself to experience. Ironically, people will react differently to you. They will treat you as an explorer and respect you as a person, because you’ve compelled them to see you as one. Believe me, this works. I’ve seen Nina in action time and again. I don’t know how she gets away with it all, but next thing I knew, one customs official was singing her a song he’d written; at the body scan, she attracted a whole pod of security people and even held up the line, as they eagerly shared her pictures, her writing and me! Now, I happen to know that it was partly because she chose not to see their rifling through her stuff as an invasion but an opportunity to share. :-3 … Which leads me to…
•      Take it all as it comes and open yourself to the experience. Here are my last two cents—well two dollars, then—on Toulouse’s Zen of Travelling. You might call me an existentialist. I’m the cool travel cat and I believe that everything has a purpose and what happens to us—how we react and what we create—is all part of our realizable path. So, when you miss that critical flight or get lost in a strange city or end up stranded in some foreign airport or ferry terminal, open yourself to the experience that you weren’t expecting. The likelihood is that you are about to have the adventure of a lifetime, the one you were meant to have. On our last trip through Detroit, we ended up “stranded” at the bar of the Westin Hotel at the airport (sad, but true :-3). One over-coiffed lady swept in like a winter storm, wailing, “They’ve got snow-hurricanes in Pennsylvania!” (her home). She was beside herself (well, I could practically see her twin there) and paced the bar, looking for sympathy—and, I think, on some level enjoying the attention . Next thing you know the whole bar was buzzing with what a “snow-hurricane” was. Another time Nina and I were stranded at the Halifax Airport due to Hurricane Bill. We just hunkered down at a hotel and enjoyed the fierce winds from our comfortable sanctuary inside, drinking the local beer. “Accidents” are often moments of opportunity. If you see them that way, you are a true explorer of the strange and new. And isn’t that what every traveler ultimately strives for?

 Okay… so go out there and travel! And tell them that Toulouse sent you! :-3

Tags: Toulouse LeTrek, travelling, travel, world travel, flying, traveling by plane, jet-travel, travel safety, travel tips, fun travel